13 Cookbooks That’ll Revamp Dinnertime

Molly Baz, the former Bon Appétit editor we all know and love, is back with her second book. Her first book covered her fresh take on cooking basics and essential recipes. This one covers exactly what the title states — how to deliciously elevate your at-home cooking. Highlight recipes include a gooey carrot cake, a lunchtime-ready chicken salad, and crispy rice egg-in-a-hole. The best part? The book features QR codes throughout that’ll direct you to additional audio and video content from Molly on how to cook the actual recipes.

We don’t know about you, but we could watch Sohla El-Waylly cook for hours. The chef, host, and Bon Appétit veteran is finally releasing her debut cookbook and we could not be more excited. In it, El-Waylly offers a practical yet approachable guide on how to be a better cook. Each chapter unpacks one of a dozen fundamental techniques so that readers can understand how and why certain steps are executed in the kitchen. From temperature management to everything you could ever want to know about butter, this book is perfect for those looking to better understand cooking or as a gift for the foodie in your life.

Dan Pelosi is known for his cozy recipes and social media presence. His debut cookbook covers recipes passed down from his Italian-American family, plus new classics that are delicious and easy to follow. We were the most eager to get our hands on this book just for the chapter on how to make your own “Big Italian Sandwich.” If Italian food is the cornerstone of dinnertime for your family, grab this.

Hanukkah begins this year on December 7. So if you’re looking to plan your holiday recipes in advance, pick this up. You’ll find elevated, modern takes on the Jewish dishes, from recipes for monkey bread made of challah to cozy matzo ball soup. Jake Cohen’s first book “Jew-Ish” was a New York Times bestseller thanks to his endearing social media presence and deep understanding of the food that characterizes Jewish culture.

A mother-daughter duo and delicious dishes from their Iranian-American family take center stage in this cookbook debut. Shariat, who also happens to work in impact and brand partnerships at Glossier, writes a weekly newsletter on food and culture. The book has 78 recipes in total. Each is broken down into sections including breakfast, snacks and sides, rices and pilafs, main dishes and stews, drinks, and desserts. We’re ready to mark this one up for meal planning — more specifically the breakfast chapter. A Sweet Date Omelet? Absolutely, yes.

Yossy Arefi is a popular Instagram follow because she breaks down baking in a way that feels accessible. Her second book, a continuation of her first book “Snacking Cakes,” features a combination of sweet and savory baked goods that can almost all be made in one bowl. Minimal equipment and effort, major rewards. Dessert lovers, rejoice.

This book doesn’t come out until January 2024, but our editors are already so excited about this one that they’ve pre-ordered it — and you should too. We love Baked by Melissa founder Melissa Ben-Ishay for her elevated yet easy salad recipes on social media. This cookbook collects many of her popular TikTok recipes into one place for easy access. She’ll cover everything from rainbow salads and thrown-together healthy dinners to decadent desserts and so much more.

Whether you’re trying to up your cocktail game or you need a guidebook for entertaining, “Signature Cocktails” is a great book to start with. Each spread has concise instructions on how to make a classic cocktail and a Pinterest-worthy photograph of the drink in question. Schuster is a trained sommelier and a former wine and spirits buyer, so you’ll be in the right hands as a novice at-home bartender. Cheers.

Introducing the cookbook that’ll also double as a coffee table book and holiday gift. Klancy Miller is an experienced food writer who’s been featured in Food52, Bon Appétit, and Food and Wine. Her second book is a stunningly curated anthology covering interviews, recipes, and advice from Black women in the industry. She talks to chefs, entrepreneurs, food stylists, mixologists, historians, and more, who all share tips and tricks, recipes, and other bits of advice. Whether you’re looking to break into the culinary world or just love reading about inspiring women, add this to your gift list.

Biscuit lovers, unite. Erika Council is the founder and head baker at Bomb Biscuit Company in Atlanta, Georgia. In her debut book, she covers over 70 biscuit recipes (both sweet and savory), and unpacks the flaky treat in the context of Black culinary history. We have our eyes on the Everything “Bagel” Biscuits.

Meaning “gathering place,” “Maydān” is a welcome introduction to the eclectic food scene in North Africa and the Middle East. Author Rose Previte (known for her Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name) shares recipes from her Lebanese family and from her travels throughout old spice trade routes. You’ll learn about how to create your own spread for entertaining guests, mix and match different dishes, and how to make hearty weeknight dinners that come together quickly.

Taipei-based food journalist Clarrisa Wei gives Taiwanese food its due in this extensive cookbook. Containing over 100 recipes, research-backed essays, historical evidence, and interviews, Wei showcases Taiwan’s unique culinary identity — and explains why the cuisine doesn’t simply fall under the “Chinese food” umbrella. Highlight recipes include Braised Minced Pork Belly, Peddler Noodles, and Three-Cup Chicken.

This was technically released last year, but we would be remiss not to include an option from Queen Ina. She was inspired to write this latest Barefoot Contessa cookbook after experiencing cooking fatigue in lockdown — and needing to get creative with pantry staples. Enter: these simple weeknight recipes you can make quickly and even freeze ahead of time. Plus, she highlights recipes she calls “two-fers,” or dishes you can turn into something completely different the next day. We’ve got our eyes on the cacio e pepe scrambled eggs.